Catalog Archive: School of Public Affairs and Administration

Serving its missions of competence, diversity, knowledge, and service, the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) takes a performance management approach to efficient, effective, equitable, and accountable public policy implementation. SPAA pursues these missions through its academic education programs and the research productivity of its faculty. At the graduate level, Ph.D., master of public administration (M.P.A.), and executive master of public administration (E.M.P.A.) degree programs prepare those who seek to educate, lead, or manage in the over 88,000 governmental units at U.S. federal, state, and local levels and the millions of philanthropy, advocacy, and contract organizations engaged in public policy implementation. The school also provides qualified advanced undergraduate students with the opportunity to begin their M.P.A. degree in their senior undergraduate year, thereby completing their master's degree in just over five years. In addition, graduates can enhance their M.P.A. degree with credit- and noncredit-bearing certificates taken separately or as their area of specialization.